Chang Bingyu made a 147 break in UK Championship qualifying to take the number of maximums in a season to a new record of 16, with more than six months of the campaign remaining.

It was the first 147 of Chang’s career and put the 23-year-old from China 4-3 up in a third-round match against Stephen Maguire.

However, Chang, who returned earlier this year following a two-year ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal, went on to lose 6-5.

A maximum is made up of 15 reds, 15 blacks, then each colour.

The previous record of 15 in a season, which was set in 2024-25, was equalled by Liam Pullen in the first round of qualifying for this year’s UK Championship.

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan – along with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Aaron Hill – has made two 147s this season.

There have been 233 maximums in the history of snooker.